Amazon has a new and improved Echo smart speaker - here's how it sounds

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Amazon has a new and improved Echo smart speaker - here's how it sounds

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Echo 3rd gen 3

Monica Chin/Business Insider

  • Amazon introduced a new version of its popular Echo smart speaker at a launch event in September.
  • The third-generation Echo costs $99.99 - just like the previous one - and you can preorder it now. It will ship on October 16.
  • The new Echo has similar specs and design to last year's second-generation Echo Plus, plus, it comes in a new color. 
  • I tried it out at Amazon's launch event - here's what it's like to use the new Echo. 

Amazon announced a lot of new devices at its September 25 launch event. From rings to headphones and even eyeglasses, the company appears to be stuffing Alexa into whatever it can get its hands on.

But Amazon hasn't forgotten its roots. And amidst the hardware cacophony, the company snuck in an update to its popular Amazon Echo, the Alexa speaker that started it all. 

If you think the new Echo's design looks familiar, that's because it is. The Echo (3rd-Gen) is identical to last year's Echo Plus (2nd-Gen) in both design and audio specs. There are only three differences: 

  • The Echo (3rd-Gen) comes in a blue shade, in addition to the Echo Plus's hues of Charcoal, Heather Gray, and Sandstone. 
  • The Echo Plus sports a built-in smart home hub and temperature sensor. The Echo (3rd-Gen) does not have those. 
  • The new Echo is $99.99, the same price as its predecessor. The Echo Plus is $149.99. 

I spent a few minutes with the Echo (3rd-Gen) at Amazon's launch event. Here's what it was like to use. 

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The design is familiar.

The design is familiar.

The 3rd-Gen Echo has the same height as the second-generation Echo (3.4 inches), but it's visibly fatter (3.9 inches, to the 2nd-Gen's 3.4). With rounded corners at the top and bottom, it looks a bit less like a trashcan than its predecessor does. (Though, let's be clear, it doesn't not look like a trashcan).

The new Twilight Blue color is lovely, though it looks grayer than it does blue to me. The other thing to note is that the 3rd-Gen doesn't come in any of the fancy wooden finishes that the 2nd-Gen did — fabric only.

Preorder the Echo for $99.99 (ships on October 16)

The specs are also familiar (mostly).

The specs are also familiar (mostly).

Amazon didn't just borrow the Echo Plus' design; it stuck the same speakers in as well. That means you're looking at a 0.8-inch tweeter and a 3-inch woofer. That's an upgrade from the 2nd-Gen Echo, which packed a 2.5-inch woofer and 0.6-inch tweeter.

If one isn't enough for you, you can stereo pair the 3rd-Gen with another 3rd-Gen Echo or 2nd-Gen Echo Plus. You can buy it bundled with the Echo Sub, but the 3rd-Gen isn't currently listed among the Sub's compatible devices. There's also a 3.5-millimeter audio jack in the back.

As I mentioned before, the 3rd-Gen is missing the Echo Plus's ZigBee smart home hub. If you want one of those, however, you've still got some options. Amazon stuck a hub into its new, high-end Echo Studio, and it's built into the 2nd-Gen Echo Plus and the 2nd-Gen Echo Show as well.

Personally, I don't miss the smart home hub. As smart home technology advances into the mainstream, fewer popular smart devices require one. And there should be an Alexa speaker for folks who want above-average audio but aren't smart home enthusiasts.

Oh, the 2nd-Gen Echo also doesn't have the Plus's temperature sensor, but that won't matter to most people.

Preorder the Echo for $99.99 (ships on October 16)
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The new Echo sounds good, but it won't unseat Sonos.

The new Echo sounds good, but it won't unseat Sonos.

I listened to a couple tracks on the Echo 3rd-Gen, and it sounds great. It's definitely an upgrade from the previous one, and it's on par with the last year's Echo Plus. Unsurprising, since the specs are the same.

The sound filled the small, noisy demo room. The bass was substantial, but not booming — I couldn't feel it vibrating in the floor beside the table. The high frequencies were strong as well. Most people will be impressed by the quality, and it will get the job done for a party, barbecue, casual listening, or what have you.

It's not the same sound as you'll get from premium smart speakers like the Sonos One, however, particularly where mid-range tones are concerned. It also wasn't quite comparable to the $199.99 Echo Studio, which I tested on the same day.

Sample the audio yourself in the video below.

Preorder the Echo for $99.99 (ships on October 16)

And here’s the new Echo, which has the same dimensions and audio architecture as the 2nd-gen Echo Plus. Bass is present, but not astounding. pic.twitter.com/s04JvsyiFJ

— Monica Chin (@mcsquared96) September 25, 2019

This is the Echo most people want.

This is the Echo most people want.

I won't be able to recommend this device for certain until I've spent more time with it. But here's my hunch: If you're not sure which Echo to buy, you should probably buy this one.

The Echo Plus (2nd-Gen) was Amazon's top audio offering last year, delivering significantly better audio than any other Echo speaker (besides, arguably, the second-gen Echo Show). The problem was that it was a hefty $149.99, and its sound didn't quite live up to that premium price tag. The Plus targets a user who's both an audiophile and a smart home enthusiast — and while those folks are out there, I suspect it's a somewhat limited demographic.

If you're shopping for an Echo speaker this year and you want the best audio in the business, you should buy the Studio. If you want a screen, we recommend one of the Shows. If you need a smart home hub, you can choose between last year's Plus, last year's Show, or this year's Studio. And if you need a budget device, you ought to get the Dot.

If you're not in any of these categories, you probably want the Echo (3rd-Gen). It won't break the bank and it sounds damn good — and that's what most people want from a speaker. It may not be feature-packed, super innovative, or terribly distinctive, but it's the best Echo for most people's needs.

Preorder the Echo for $99.99 (ships on October 16)
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